JGH Open. 2024 May 20;8(5):e13066. doi: 10.1002/jgh3.13066.eCollection 2024 May.

Leigh O'Brien ¹, Arezina Kasti ², Emma P Halmos ³, Caroline Tuck ⁴, Jane Varney ³

Author information

¹Department of Medicine University of Otago Christchurch New Zealand.

²Department of Nutrition and Dietetics ATTIKON University General Hospital Athens Greece.

³Department of Gastroenterology Monash University and Alfred Health Melbourne Victoria Australia.

⁴Department of Nursing and Allied Health Swinburne University Melbourne Victoria Australia.

Abstract

The FODMAP diet has been a treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for many years. Rigorous scientific evaluation and clinical application of the FODMAP diet have generated deep understanding regarding clinical efficacy, mechanisms of action, and potential adverse effects of this dietary approach. In turn, this knowledge has allowed fine-tuning of the diet to optimize treatment benefits and minimize risks, in the form of the traditional three-phase diet; the FODMAP-gentle approach, which is a less restrictive iteration; and a proposed FODMAP-modified, Mediterranean-style diet which endeavours to optimise both gastrointestinal symptoms and other health parameters. Furthermore, recognition that IBS-like symptoms feature in other conditions has seen the FODMAP diet tested in non-IBS populations, including in older adults with diarrhea and women with endometriosis. These areas represent new frontiers for the FODMAP diet and a space to watch as future research evaluates the validity of these novel clinical applications.